Cub Scouting now open to boys and girls in The Valley

Local Cub Scouting programs have recently announced that they are now open to both boys and girls.

Cub Scouting is a year-round family program designed for girls and boys who are in kindergarten through fifth grade. Cub Scouting is the largest of the Boy Scouts of America’s three traditional membership programs with approximately 1.7 million boys and their families involved throughout the United States.

Since announcing the BSA’s historic decision to welcome girls into Scouting earlier this year, more than 3,000 girls across the nation have already enrolled in the BSA’s Early Adopter Program and are participating in Cub Scouts ahead of the full launch this fall.

The beginning of the school year is the traditional time for girls and boys and their families to join Cub Scouts, but they can join at any time. During the month of September, local Cub Scout Packs in Mahoning County are hosting recruitment nights called School Nights to give girls, boys and their families an opportunity to experience a little of the fun and adventure that the Cub Scouts experience all year long.

Dates, times and locations are Austintown: Cub Scout Pack 184 will meet at St. Joseph Parish, located at 4545 New Road in Youngstown, on Sept. 17 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. (contact Kim Chamberalin at 330-881-7685 for additional details) and Cub Scout Pack 22 will meet at the St. Christine School gym, located at 3165 S. Schenley Ave. in Youngstown, on Sept. 18 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (contact Michelle Lydic at 330-360-8652 for additional details); Boardman: Cub Scout Packs 27 and 114 will meet at West Boulevard Elementary School, located at 6125 West Boulevard in Youngstown, on Sept. 10 from 6:30-8 p.m., at Market Street Elementary School, located at 5555 Market St. in Youngstown on Sept. 11 from 6-8 p.m. and at Stadium Drive Elementary School, located at 111 Stadium Dr. in Youngstown, on Sept. 20 from 6-8 p.m. (the contact for Pack 27 is Kristi Schreckengost at 814-657-2861 and the contact for Pack 114 is Nick Patterson at 330-402-2875); Canfield: Cub Scout Packs 25 and 115 will meet at C.H. Campbell Elementary School, located at 300 Moreland Dr. in Canfield, on Sept. 11 from 6-8 p.m. and at Hilltop Elementary School, located at 400 Hilltop Boulevard in Canfield, on Sept. 12 from 6-8 p.m. (the contact person for Pack 25 is Jay Kerns at 330-856-0190 and the contact person for Pack 115 is Steph Kelly at 330-550-0584); Poland: Cub Scout Packs 2 and 44 will meet at Poland Union Elementary School, located at30 Riverside Dr. in Poland, on Sept. 17 from 5-7 p.m. (the contact for Pack 2 is Amanda McNinch at 330-506-1010 and the contact person for Pack 44 is Carrie Wamer at 330-519-7329.

For more information about Cub Scouting, check out the website www.beascout.org or the Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America website at www.gtcbsa.org. For all the programs of the Boy Scouts of America in Mahoning County, contact John Brkic, District Director, at 330-773-0415 or email John.Brkic@scouting.org.